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Date Permissions Signed

7-29-2011

Date of Award

2011

Document Type

Masters Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Lehman, Barbara J.

Second Advisor

Lemm, Kristi M., 1971-

Third Advisor

Schudlich, Tina Dawn Du Rocher

Abstract

Research has relied primarily on laboratory settings to examine how emotions and physiology are affected by acute experiences of stress. This is because it is difficult to manipulate acute stress outside the lab and without a discrete manipulation it is difficult to measure physiological and emotional arousal during acute stress. This study found evidence that everyday stress predicts temporary changes in blood pressure. The purpose of this study was to investigate Gray's (1987) behavioral inhibition (BIS) and behavioral activation (BAS) systems, and to identify divergent cardiovascular and emotional outcomes to natural stressors for each of these systems. The data from a set of within-day analyses do not suggest that BIS and BAS moderate the association between blood pressure, heart rate, and momentary affect (frustration, happiness, sadness, and stress) to everyday stress. End of day analyses examined potential enduring effects of stress. The data suggest that there are gender differences in the extent to which everyday stress predicts end of day averages of blood pressure and heart rate. Women had lower overall systolic blood pressure, including on more stressful days. In contrast, men tended to have higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure during stress, and a trend suggested that they have higher diastolic blood pressure on more stressful days. In addition, the data suggest that sensitivity to BIS and BAS is associated with daily affect. In particular, BIS sensitivity predicted daily negative affect and BAS sensitivity predicted both daily positive affect as well as greater positive affect on days with more stressors.

Type

Text

DOI

https://doi.org/10.25710/hv4v-nk79

Publisher

Western Washington University

OCLC Number

750296597

Subject – LCSH

Stress (Psychology)--Physiological aspects; Hypertension--Psychological aspects; Behavioral assessment

Format

application/pdf

Genre/Form

masters theses

Language

English

Rights

Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this thesis for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author's written permission.

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